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Friday, May 07, 2004
Bishops to voters: Vote wisely
VOTE wisely.
The bishops of the Dioceses of Bacolod and San Carlos urged Thursday the Catholic faithful to choose the country's political leaders based on the criteria given by the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines.
Bishops Vicente Navarra and Jose Advincula of Bacolod and San Carlos, respectively, aired the church's concerns for Monday's synchronized local and national polls in yesterday's prayer and fasting for clean and honest elections participated in by more than a thousand faithful and Catholic priests held at the San Sebastian Cathedral.
Through the Pastoral Exhortation for the May 10 polls, Navarra reiterated his call to the electorate to vote according to their conscience.
He said a new leader should know the real problem of the country and not just become a puppet of other nations.
Navarra also urged the faithful to spurn a candidate who is just working for his or her own interest, which would cause a wide gap between the rich and the poor.
Advincula, on the other hand, said the electorate should examine the candidates' qualities based on the criteria that the CBCP tackled during their April 21 gathering.
He said an electorate should ask if the candidate is known to heed his or her conscience, capable of leading the country, and if he or she has a commitment to the program concerning the issues such as that of the family, life, environment, illegal drugs and gambling, justice, peace, poverty and education.
He also challenged the voters to defend the ballots but doing so also needs a community spirit.
Advincula encouraged the electorate to organize a citizen's group to show that an ordinary person could be an instrument for social transformation.
Prayer and fasting
Moreover, Navarra said Thursday's prayer and fasting for clean and honest elections has created sufficient awareness to the Negrense people on the sanctity of the ballot.
He said the election is very important especially in advancing the progress, peace and welfare of the people.
Navarra and Advincula burned the 3 Gs that represent "Guns, Goons and Gold" that some of the candidates used to intimidate voters.
Those who also joined burned fake money to denounce vote-buying.
A silent march along the public plaza and a clean-up drive of the campaign paraphernalia that were illegally hung was conducted after the exposition of the Blessed Sacrament at the San Sebastian Cathedral.
Those who participated took only water and bread for lunch as part of the sacrifice.
One in spirit
Mayoralty bet Councilor Celia Flor appealed to all political candidates nationwide not to resort to any illegal activities to prevent disorderly polls.
"If we want change in the government, we should act on it with faith," said Flor.
She added that she received indirect threats, however, she said, "I am not afraid to die."
Vice mayoralty candidate, Councilor Roberto Rojas, on the other hand, also prayed for peaceful and orderly polls despite reports that 30 to 50 hired goons have sneaked into the city based on their intelligence report 10 days ago.
"Candidates should be careful because politics is getting hotter as the election day draws near," said Rojas.
He hoped that the reported armed groups will be enlightened on their purpose. He also said that the hired goons are armed and they have the ability to threaten the electorate to protect their supported candidates.
Rojas is confident that election fraud will not happen because of rigid monitoring and close watch of poll watchers and volunteers.
Moreover, he also appealed to the voters to take care of their votes and be vigilant against illegal activities.
Mayor Luzviminda Valdez, on the other hand, earlier ordered the Bacolod City Police Office to conduct close monitoring against "unusual" movements in the city.
She said police should make sure that the city is safe for Bacolodnon voters.
Avelyn Z. Agudon/Christine Mae A. Pelayo
(May 7, 2004 issue)
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